S3 ASPLENIUM LANCEOLATUM. 
ASPLE'NIUM LANCEOLA'TUM. 
IN English this has been called Spear-shaped Spleen- 
wort, Lanceolate Spleemvort, and White Oak Fern. 
The main body of the root is black, tufted, and 
covered with bistle-like scales; the rootlets are also 
black and numerous. The stem, or stipe, of each 
frond, up to where the leaflets commence, is purplish- 
black, and throughout its entire length is more or less 
sprinkled with fine, bristly scales. The length of the 
fronds varies as much as from three to fifteen inches. 
Mr. Moore says they are sometimes eighteen inches. 
They attain the greatest height when favourably cul- 
tivated under shade in a warm greenhouse. The speci- 
men from which our drawing was taken is six inches 
high. The outline of the entire leafy portion of each 
frond is spear-head shaped, or lanceolate, to which the 
specific name alludes. The upper half of each stem 
and the leaflets are very bright, pale green. The spear- 
head shape of the frond is caused by the lowest leaflets 
being shorter than those immediately above them, and 
then the upper leaflets again gradually diminish in 
size. The leaflets have a triangular, or arrow - head 
outline, and though sometimes in opposite pairs, yet 
they are generally alternate ; they for the mobt part 
stand at a right angle with the stalk, but sometimes 
droop slightly. The leafits are reversed - egg - shaped, 
Olunt at the upper end, but deeply, and sharply-toothed, 
the teeth being as fine as bristles ; the leafits at their 
